Ticket splitter?

[Lima]

Hello,

Does anyone know if there is any reliable website which searches for split tickets? I found a couple through google but they don't seem to work.

Basically I am looking for a day return from Cambridge to Leeds, going in the morning and coming back in the evening, for any weekday between 25 Oct and 4 Nov 2010. I just cannot find one I can afford and I don't have hours to spare to search through all the different split ticket options for all those dates.

Thank you so much for any advice!
Lima

 

[cuccir]

Hello,

Does anyone know if there is any reliable website which searches for split tickets? I found a couple through google but they don't seem to work.

Basically I am looking for a day return from Cambridge to Leeds, going in the morning and coming back in the evening, for any weekday between 25 Oct and 4 Nov 2010. I just cannot find one I can afford and I don't have hours to spare to search through all the different split ticket options for all those dates.

Thank you so much for any advice!
Lima

No, there is no website out there which does this (which is one of the main reasons that this forum exists!)

Depending when you travel you can get advance tickets for as low as £36 (04/11, 08:38 out of Cambridge, return on the 19:40, all booked on East Coast's website) or up to about £51 on the 26th.

Your main splitting option is Peterborough: get an off-peak return via Ely ticket from Cambridge>Peterborough and then get Peterborough>Leeds advance tickets. You won't save compared to the cheapest Cambridge>Leeds advance fares, but it gives you more options at the £40-£50 range.

 

[Lima]

Thank you so much for that! I had not seen £36 on 4th Nov so will dash and book it now. That's at least £20 cheaper than anything I found.

I wish there was a "flexible date" option on Eastcoast (or any other train website) like the one for cheap flights when you're prepared to go on several different dates. It would make searching for the cheapest fare so much quicker and easier.

Thanks again!

 

[swt_passenger]

Hello,

Does anyone know if there is any reliable website which searches for split tickets? I found a couple through google but they don't seem to work.

A couple of websites have tried, but IIRC one of them basically relied on people reporting useful splits to populate its database... :roll:

I've always suspected the idea that an individual could knock up a reliable site that would be able to do everything the journey planners can plus check every possible split permutation on the fly would just be too difficult to program...

 

[b0b]

I've always suspected the idea that an individual could knock up a reliable site that would be able to do everything the journey planners can plus check every possible split permutation on the fly would just be too difficult to program...

It's certainly tricky because the splits are so unexpected sometimes, it needs "tips" from those in the know.

It's not too hard to figure out calling points and test splits that way. but there are lots of esoteric splits, I've seen some that involve buying a season ticket to take advantage of the fact that a season+non season can be combined on a non-stop journey

 

[Donny Dave]

Not only that, but occasionally, a rover can be cheaper than a walk up return (especially those flows priced by XC), and because it is a rover, offers greater flexability and is valid for several days, instead of making the journey there and back.

 

[yorkie]

And what if you need 3 splits? The number of calculations will go up exponentially. You'd have to check the timetable, and the validity codes, and also have information about possible routes. Also what if it is cheaper to go further (York - Shireoaks to Sheffield if returning same day off peak; York-Sheffield to Doncaster if travelling early in the morning returning a different day; and many more, some of which I'd rather not reveal in case they're removed)

Will any site ever tell me the cheapest combo for a cycle ride from BIA - SUN is to get a CDR from York - Hartlepool (Rte Not Darlington), singles from NTR-BIA, and SUN-HPL? The answer is a certain no!

My prediction is that a reliable site that always finds the cheapest ticket(s) is never going to be created. I'd like to be proven wrong but I doubt I will!

 

[b0b]

Will any site ever tell me the cheapest combo for a cycle ride from BIA - SUN is to get a CDR from York - Hartlepool (Rte Not Darlington), singles from NTR-BIA, and SUN-HPL? The answer is a certain no!

mine will from now but that's the point, it needs "inside" knowledge

 

[yorkie]

So it will let you specify a different station to start the rtn journey and it will do splits at an intermediate station (finishing the first ticket 'short') and it will go beyond just advising on 2 tickets? Impressive if so...

 

[b0b]

So it will let you specify a different station to start the rtn journey and it will do splits at an intermediate station (finishing the first ticket 'short') and it will go beyond just advising on 2 tickets? Impressive if so...

if I ever figure out what all that means, sure